Loretta’s book “Berber Tattooing in Morocco’s Middle Atlas”, illustrates her journey exploring, with her husband Felix Leu, the fading tattoo culture of Berber tribes in 1988.

The Moutain Road

Felix & Loretta Leu, both born in 1945, are artists and adventurers. They travelled and lived in America, Europe, North Africa, India and Nepal, and in time were accompanied by four children, who were all born “on the road”. In 1978 they discovered tattooing and, from there, “Leu” became one the most respected names in the tattoo world.

As tattoo artists themselves, Felix and Loretta were able to find a common ground with the Berber families: they had tattoos on their faces, ankles, calves, arms and hands, but also on their jaws, which went down their necks, “like a beard,” she says.

Fading cultural heritage

The book uniquely records the traditional tattoos of Berber women through their personal stories, revealing their culture and the role of tattoo, while providing excellent visual material consisting of fifty rare photographs, thirty-seven pencil illustrations, one hundred twelve black & white drawings, and two maps.

A unique and tender record of the North African tribal skin art. The result of a series of chance encounters, opening a doorway into the intimate world amazigh women. A journey through time and into wild landscapes with beautiful illustrations by Aia Leu (Felix and Loretta’s daughter).

Getting the book

This book of previously unpublished work, collected thirty years ago is a tribute, to the art of tattoo, to tradition, to family and to love.

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